Prom
by Lingua Dii
Summary: Prom night is coming. Everyone has a date except Kenny. Rated T for language.
1. Kevin

First chapter. I thought about writing it as a sequel, but I decided it would be better as a standalone story. Please understand that I have little to no knowledge of how proms "work", so to speak, so some of the info here might (and probably will) be wrong.

* * *

><p>Prom night was coming. Everyone knew it, everyone was excited about it and everyone was getting someone to go with them. Everyone except Kenny. Most of the girls he knew had asked him to go with them, some even asked multiple times, but he always told them "No". Some of them thought that Kenny was already going with someone else, but they were wrong. One of the reasons why Kenny didn't have anyone to go with him because the one person he <em>did<em> want to go with didn't reciprocate his feelings, but that wasn't even very important. The other reason was because this time of the year had another meaning for him that most people didn't know about. It was when Kevin died.

"_I should've protected you... It should've been me..._" thought Kenny as he placed a single flower on his brother's grave.

Kenny: ...I'm sorry, Kevin... You didn't deserve this.

* * *

><p><strong>SIX YEARS AGO<strong>

Stan had started doing drugs about a year ago as a new way to deal with his cynicism. He had lost some weight (making him even thinner than he already was), and did some crazy shit when he was high. Right now he was insisting that Kenny had died over one hundred times before the boys turned ten. Kenny was laughing at him like the other boys, but not because he thought it was a ridiculous idea. He knew the truth and he was very concerned about what might happen if someone actually believed Stan's story. Best case scenario his friends would be impressed or surprised, but they would keep it a secret. Worst case scenario he'd be taken by a government agency and experimented on in some underground laboratory for the rest of his life.

Stan: I'm telling you guys, he can't die!  
>Eric: Dude, you're high.<p>

"_Again._"

Eric: Just stop with all this crazy bullshit.  
>Stan: You mean you don't remember when he was electrocuted, turned into a zombie, blown up, ran over or anything like that?<br>Kyle: ...No, not really.  
>Kenny: You'd think I'd remember being electrocuted. Seriously, dude, just chill. There's a reason I stopped doing drugs; I warned you about this shit.<br>Stan: ...Alright.

* * *

><p>The boys went home from the arcade; after a while, Stan went back to his "insane" theory that Kenny was immortal. Cartman and Kyle ignored him, though. Ever since he started doing drugs, most of the things he said were even dumber than when he was drunk, which surprised them. Thankfully, he was the first one to be dropped off.<p>

Kyle: Alright, Stan, go home. Rest. You'll feel much better in the morning.  
>Stan: Sure, sure... Whatever.<p>

"_Fucking idiot... If they come to take me away, I'll kill him._"

* * *

><p>Cartman was the second one to be dropped off, and now it was just Kenny and Kyle. Without the other two boys around, they didn't talk much to each other; they just glanced at each other whenever the other wasn't looking. They finally arrived at Kyle's a few minutes afterward. Kenny gave Kyle a short hug (although Kyle just stood there without doing anything) as a way of saying "Goodbye" and left.<p>

* * *

><p>Kenny ran home as fast as he could, not because he was emotional, but because he simply wasn't used to how slowly the other boys walked. It was very hard for him to slow down enough so that they could keep up, but now he didn't have to. When he got there, he found Kevin once again wearing one of his parkas. They wore the same size, and Kevin started liking his parkas after realizing how warm and comfortable they were. Just like when they were kids, every single piece of clothing in Kenny's closet was identical: Bright orange parka, bright orange pants and brown shoes. His parents wanted him to get different clothing, but he really liked orange, and he loved those parkas. He would've gotten bright orange shoes, socks and gloves as well, but he thought that was overkill (not to mention that he would look stupid with that much orange on him).<p>

Kenny: Dude, I've told you a hundred times not to wear my stuff without asking.  
>Kevin: Come on, bro, relax. Tell you what, you can wear some of <em>my<em> stuff. How does that sound?  
>Kenny: You don't have anything in orange.<br>Kevin: There are other colors, you know.  
>Kenny: I like orange.<br>Kevin: Fine, whatever. But seriously, chill... And go to sleep; it's late.  
>Kenny: Why aren't you going to sleep?<br>Kevin: I'm the big brother. I can stay up for as long as I want to.

"_If you don't count the fact that I'm taller than you were at my age._"

Kenny followed his brother's advice and went to sleep. He hadn't been sleeping very well anyway, so he got tired fairly quickly during the day, and staying up all night with his friends, even during the weekend, was exhausting. Still, being around his friends (mostly Kyle, who made his heart flutter), was better than staying at home without anything to do.

* * *

><p>The following day, Kenny was the first one of the four boys to wake up. He had slept for four hours, but to him it seemed like ten minutes, which just added to his frustration.<p>

"_If this keeps up, I'm gonna need to start taking sleeping pills..._"

Kenny dragged himself to the bathroom to take a quick shower and then went downstairs to get something to eat. Afterward, he got a call from Kyle about the plans they had made to watch the fifth Terrance and Phillip movie today. Kenny confirmed he was still going, which made him happy. A few hours later, he went to the movie theater to meet his friends... but one of them was missing.

Kenny: Where's Stan?  
>Eric: I dunno. Probably still sleeping. You know how he is nowadays.<p>

"_Basically the same as ever, only now he does drugs. Thankfully, it also means that we don't hang out with him as much. No more 'Kenny can't die' every thirty seconds._"

Kyle: The movie is about to start anyway, so we really have to go anyway. Screw Stan.

"_I didn't expect that from __**you**__, but I guess that's OK..._"

* * *

><p>After spending almost ten minutes discussing and quoting the funniest parts in the movie, the boys went home. However, Kenny wasn't going to his house right away, first he was going to Butters'.<p>

Kyle: Why are you going to Butters'?  
>Kenny: I have some stuff to tell him.<p>

"_Why do you care?_"

Kyle: ...Alright. Goodbye.

Kenny hoped to get another hug, but Kyle just kept on walking, leaving him with his arms half-open.

"_...Well, that was... disappointing._"

* * *

><p>Kenny shrugged and knocked on Butters' door; he was greeted just a few seconds later by Butters' dad and reluctantly welcomed inside. He went up into Butters' room, who put down the book he was reading and gave Kenny a short hug.<p>

"_If you were Kyle I might not have this feeling of awkwardness..._"

Leopold: Did you see my dad?  
>Kenny: Yeah. What's up with him?<br>Leopold: Someone told him I was gay and now he's going from pissed to disappointed.  
>Kenny: And you didn't think to tell him that whoever it was was lying?<br>Leopold: Not really. Now I just want to know who it was so I can kick his ass.

"_Do you really have to ask? This is obviously Cartman's handiwork._"

Leopold: Anyway, I assume you're here to talk about Kyle?  
>Kenny: Yeah.<br>Leopold: Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Tell him and _only_ him about your sexuality first, then work your way up to your feelings.  
>Kenny: <em>Only<em> him? That's kinda hypocritical coming from someone who told most of his friends.  
>Leopold: And look what happened. My dad's not sure if he should kill me or send me to a straight camp <em>again<em>, while my mom is being overly dramatic as always and thinks the world is going to end.  
>Kenny: ...I see your point, but I'm not sure if your advice is any good. Even if I agreed with it, I have no idea of how I should tell him. If I just tell him without any sort of long, boring speech, he might...<br>Leopold: Overreact?  
>Kenny: ...That works. I'll probably only have one shot at this, so I need to do it right... How did you do it with your dad?<br>Leopold: He yelled at me, asked me if it was true and I was so scared that I just nodded without really thinking.  
>Kenny: ...Ouch.<br>Leopold: That won't help you in the least, though.  
>Kenny: You're right.<p>

* * *

><p>Kenny and Butters spent a long time discussing ways for Kenny to talk to Kyle about his feelings, until Kenny realized it was getting late and decided to go home. He was frustrated that he couldn't think of a way to tell Kyle about his feelings that wouldn't make the latter run away. When he got there, he found Kevin using his computer while wearing his clothes, which just added to his frustration. He started yelling at him and, after Kevin got up to try and calm him down, a single bullet went through the window and hit Kevin in the stomach. Kenny didn't think and just grabbed on to his brother while shouting at his mother to call an ambulance. A few minutes before the ambulance arrived, however, his brother died from massive blood loss.<p>

* * *

><p>It turned out that Stan was so sure that his theory was right that he stole a weapon and waited for Kenny to get home, waiting for the right time to shoot him. He saw Kenny go up into his room and fired on the first orange thing he saw. He thought that if he was high while doing it that he would still remember it when the drugs left his system and be able to confront Kenny about it. In spite of his careful planning, he shot the wrong person, but didn't even realize it; then he went home and slept until noon.<p>

* * *

><p>The next day he went to Kenny's almost as soon as he woke up to talk to him about what happened, but the house was completely empty. He searched for a very long time until he found Kenny and his family at a funeral. It had been arranged in secrecy, per Kenny's request. When Stan realized what he had done, his legs suddenly stopped supporting him, as if his weight had increased tenfold. He dropped to the ground, curled up into a ball and just started crying, creating a small river of tears that ran from his face to his coat, where they were quickly absorbed by the thick fabric.<p>

Kenny saw his friend lying there, ran straight for him and shook him, asking him what was wrong, but Stan didn't say anything; he just looked at Kenny with tears rolling down his face and mumbled "Sorry", followed by unintelligible words over and over again. Kenny was terrified; he didn't know what was wrong. After he was examined by the doctors, they told Kenny what happened: Apparently he suffered a shock that was too much for him to bear, so he locked himself in his own head. Of course, the doctors didn't know that he was the one who had shot Kenny's brother. Kenny approached Stan, gently ran his hand across his friend's arm held his hand tight.

Kenny: ...Hey, Stan... I'm not sure if you can hear me, but the doctors say that you're stuck in there somewhere, so you probably can... I don't know what happened, but you have to snap out of it. We... We were going to pull pranks on the 12th graders during the prom, remember?

Kenny laughed nervously, but it soon turned into sobbing.

Kenny: ...You have to snap out of it... Please...

But he didn't. Stan laid there, motionless and mute. When the other boys arrived, they had a similar reaction to Kenny. Cartman, who always portrayed himself as a "tough guy" was actually the first to start crying. All three boys sat there around their friend, waiting for him to suddenly come back... but it was all in vain.

* * *

><p><strong>PRESENT<strong>

Kenny wiped the tears off his face, turned around and started walking towards the hospital. It was far away, which gave him time to go through what had happened six years ago again and again, as a way to punish himself. A few years after the incident, he found out what Stan had done, but it didn't change anything; it just added to the guilt. Now he blamed himself for his brother's death and Stan's condition.

"_If I had told Stan the truth, none of this would've happened... It's all my fault._"

He had lost two of his closest friends that day – Stan and his brother. Both irreplaceable, both important. And they were gone.

* * *

><p>Well, that's the first chapter. It's more or less "filler", but I think it was good anyway.<br>On an unrelated note: I am thinking about "rewriting" my first four stories in the same writing style that I'm using now (I'll still keep the original stories, in case I need them). There are a few things that I was unable to show you (although they're pretty much meaningless) due to my admittedly poor writing style. I will consult the rules carefully to see if I can do that without getting in trouble, although I don't remember seeing anything in them that might affect my plans. If I can't, I will try to keep the same basic plot of all four but with some major differences for the thirteenth (meaning that I'd merge all four basic plots into one story with 11/12 chapters, although it would have some big time skips in it).


	2. Kenny

There is going to be a third chapter, so as not to make this one too long. I was trying to figure out whether I should write it or simply make this chapter twice as long, but eventually I decided on the former.

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><p>Kenny arrived at the hospital and went straight into Stan's room. He sat down next to his friend, held his hand and sighed. After six years, he was one of the few people who hadn't given up on Stan. He visited him almost every day and talked to him about everything he could think of, although he wasn't sure if Stan could even hear him.<p>

Kenny: ...Hey, dude. Um... It's been almost six years since... well, you know what happened... I know I say this a lot, and you're probably already tired of hearing it, but... I'm sorry.

He felt nervous when he was around Stan, due to his guilt. He glanced over at Stan and tears started forming in his eyes, though he wiped them before they became a problem.

Kenny: Anyway, uh... today I went to school and I got some more requests from the girls over there to go with them to the prom, as usual, but I told them no... as usual. They just don't seem to get that I don't want to go with them... or maybe they're just desperate. I wonder if Kyle is also getting this many requests. He's pretty, so he probably is...

Kenny went on to talk about Kyle, Cartman, Butters, Tweek, Shelly, and pretty much everyone who knew Stan, leaving out only the fact that he had also visited his brother's grave earlier today. He didn't want to risk making Stan feel worse than he already did. A few minutes after he finished, he got a text message from Butters, saying that he was outside, waiting for him.

Kenny: So, listen, I uh... I gotta go now. Butters is waiting for me outside, and I still have to do some stuff my mom asked me to. But I promise I'll come back tomorrow.

Kenny got up and glanced at Stan before leaving his room.

"_...I'm so sorry for what I did to you._"

* * *

><p>Kenny walked outside, in the direction of Butters' car.<p>

Leopold: Come on, get in.  
>Kenny: Thanks for picking me up.<br>Leopold: You're welcome... So, how is he?  
>Kenny: ...He's fine.<br>Leopold: And how are you?  
>Kenny: I'm fine too.<p>

"_Right..._"

Leopold: ...You gotta stop blaming yourself for this, or at least start moving past it. Stan's condition was a result of the drugs; it has nothing to do with you or anything you did.  
>Kenny: Can we not do this right now? I'm already getting so many fucking requests for this stupid prom that I feel like I'm a goddamn whore.<p>

"_Not to mention that you don't know what you're talking about. If I had told Stan the truth he wouldn't have done what he did. He's locked inside his own head because of __**me**__._"

Leopold: ...That's not an insult, you know. People ask you because they _want_ to go with you. Besides, can you blame them? You're the cutest guy in South Park, and you haven't asked someone to go with you. People are gonna want to be that someone... Hell, _I'd_ be that someone if you wanted me to.

"_So __**I'm**__ the cutest guy in South Park? You probably haven't really looked at Kyle..._"

Kenny: ...Thanks, Butters.  
>Leopold: You're welcome.<p>

Butters was right about at least one thing, though – Kenny needed to move past this; he hadn't moved on with his life in six years. He had stopped trying to tell Kyle about his feelings; in fact, he had stopped hanging out with Kyle altogether. He couldn't look Kyle in the eyes or even be around him knowing that he was responsible for what happened to his best friend, Stan.  
>On the other hand, Kyle, oblivious to Kenny's guilt, had made some attempts over the years to reconnect with him, but he always backed away until he seemingly gave up altogether. Nowadays their interactions were limited to awkward silences, occasional stares and short conversations when they happened to visit Stan at the same time, although the latter was a very rare event. Kyle couldn't stand looking at Stan in his current situation, but he didn't feel guilty or self-destructive, so he didn't visit him as often as Kenny did.<p>

* * *

><p>Butters dropped off Kenny where he needed to be and went back home. As he rested on his bed, he started thinking about the stuff that had been going on for the past six years – Stan's condition, Kenny's guilt and the reason for it...<br>This year was the last time Kenny and Kyle would ever see each other and probably the last time they would even speak, unless some freak accident forced them to meet a few years later (which, given South Park's usual level of insanity, didn't seem that unlikely). Butters tried to avoid it but, after a while, his thoughts slowly shifted into ways that he could get Kyle and Kenny together. His first thought was to get them both in the same room and just let it happen, but it would probably end badly. Kenny wasn't someone who openly discussed his feelings for no reason and, after Stan was put in a hospital bed, Kyle stopped being someone who asked. Another option would be for Butters himself to start a conversation between Kenny and Kyle, but neither one of them had been listening to him very much as of late.

"_What should I do?_"

* * *

><p>What Butters didn't know was <em>why<em> Kyle didn't listen to him very much, and he also didn't notice that for the past few years, Kyle had been growing increasingly hostile (verbally and without provocation) when Butters was around. Kyle knew about Butters' sexuality (as he had told him a long time ago) and suspected Kenny's, which made him feel jealous when he saw the two of them together and how close they'd become, although he was unable (or maybe unwilling) to admit it to himself. He didn't know why seeing the two of them together made him feel so angry, but it still had some effects on his actions and thoughts. He was no longer trying to reconnect with Kenny and he felt like punching Butters in the face multiple times whenever he saw him. He didn't know why he felt this way, but he knew he shouldn't, and it was really screwing him up. He thought that Butters had taken away his only friend whom he could actually talk to, but his anger was too great for it to be just that, and he didn't even realize it.

* * *

><p>"<em>Well, now I just have to get home and give this to my mom... Damn, it's <em>_**really**__ getting late. I should hurry._"

Kenny ran as fast as he could back home. When he got there, he found his dad passed out on the couch, drunk. His father had stopped drinking during the day after Kevin was shot, but he had sleeping issues, so he got himself drunk every night to be able to sleep.

"_Poor dad..._"

Kenny put the things he brought in their place and went upstairs. He looked at Kevin's room for almost five minutes before proceeding into his own, with tears in his eyes. He lied down on his bed, wiped his tears and sighed, trying to prepare himself mentally for what would probably another night filled with nightmares.  
>At first his nightmares were just his memory of his brother being killed, but ever since he found out about what Stan had done, every dream he had was a nightmare with everyone telling him that what happened to Kevin and Stan was his fault, and that he didn't deserve to be alive.<br>In the beginning he had nightmares almost every single night, but nowadays he was starting to have some dreamless nights, which allowed him to actually get some rest for a change.

* * *

><p>Kenny woke up ten hours later and smiled, relieved.<p>

"_No nightmares tonight._"

However, when he noticed the time, he panicked. He was late for school for the third time in a week.

"_Mr. Garrison is either going to kill me or give me a long speech... I'd prefer the first, but I'm sure he won't do it._"

* * *

><p>Just like Kenny expected, Mr. Garrison gave him a long, boring speech about coming in late and how that affects his schoolwork. Kenny just nodded when Mr. Garrison asked him anything (even though most of the questions were rhetorical), much to the other boys' amusement, and finally sat down when he finished. Without even thinking about it, he glanced at Kyle, who immediately turned away, pretending that he wasn't looking at him.<p>

"_...Hm._"

Kenny wasn't as stupid as most people thought he was; he knew there was something up with Kyle, and it was related to him.

* * *

><p>After school, Kenny went straight for the hospital and into Stan's room, like he promised. Once again, he sat down next to Stan and held his hand tight.<p>

Kenny: Hey, Stan. I'm back, like I promised. Um... Well, I didn't have any nightmares tonight, so that's a plus. I also didn't get any requests from the girls at the school, although I had to spend the whole day avoiding them to achieve that... But it was totally worth it.

Kyle arrived at Stan's room just a few minutes after Kenny finished telling him about his day, but he didn't go in; he stood outside, listening.

Kenny: Oh, I almost forgot – Today, in class, I saw Kyle looking at me... I know, it's stupid that I even cared about that; he looks at a lot of people... I'm just happy that, this time, he was looking at _me_ for a change... You know, sometimes I feel kinda stupid that I get excited about the fact that he notices me. I mean, I haven't told him how I feel, and you know how much I love him, we haven't even spoken in a long time, but I get excited from a simple glance... It's stupid, right? ...Well, I've probably bothered you long enough for today. I'll come back again tomorrow and bother you some more, alright?

Kenny stayed in silence for a few seconds, as if waiting for Stan to answer.

"_...I'm probably going insane, asking questions to someone who can't answer them._"

Kenny released Stan's hand and left. When he noticed Kyle, both boys stared at each other for a long time, analyzing each other's faces. Kenny was in pain, and Kyle could see it. He wanted to do something to ease the pain, but the blond boy just walked away without even thinking that Kyle must've overheard everything he said.

* * *

><p>After he made sure that Kenny was gone, Kyle went into Stan's room. He stood there in silence, just looking at the machines connected to him and feeling sorry for him. When he thought of what his parents, Shelly and Kenny must be going through, he started crying and didn't stop for almost five minutes.<p>

"_...Nobody deserves this, being stuck like this... I wonder why Kenny talks to him, though. It's not like he can hear us... Right?_"

Kyle stood for a few more seconds before sitting down next to Stan, just like he saw Kenny doing it.

"_...This is stupid._"

Kyle: ...Hey, Stan.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kenny was looking out into the town, trying to figure out just how long it would take to go home on foot.<p>

"_I should've told Butters to pick me up... This sucks._"

Kenny started walking back home, slowly. There was no way it would take him less than thirty minutes to get home, and running would only make him tired after five minutes.

* * *

><p>Kenny found his house completely empty, but he didn't even care. He just went upstairs into his room and started listening to loud music. He was trying to forget Stan's condition for even a few minutes, but he couldn't. He decided to go to sleep early, to see if he got lucky again and was able to sleep without having nightmares.<p>

* * *

><p>Just as Kenny fell asleep, Kyle knocked the door of the one person who could tell him if Kenny was telling the truth when he was talking to Stan. He wanted to know the truth more than anything and, although he still didn't know why, he was willing to do whatever it took to get it.<p>

Leopold: Hey. I haven't seen you in a while, at least not outside school. How've you been?  
>Kyle: ...Fine. Can I come in? I need to talk to you about something.<br>Leopold: Sure.

Kyle was hesitant at first, due to the nature of the information he was going to share and how he got it in the first place, but, eventually, he told Butters what he overheard. He felt guilty that he was doing this, and, although Butters could see it, he kept smiling throughout the whole tale. However, when he big question came, Butters' smile vanished, and an argument arose in his head: Should he tell Kyle the truth and risk his friendship with Kenny, even though he wasn't sure what Kyle would do with that information? Or should he lie to Kyle, protect his friendship with Kenny and possibly destroy the one he had with Kyle? He had to make a choice, and that choice would affect not only his life but Kenny's and Kyle's as well, for better... or for worse.

* * *

><p>Well, that's the end of this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.<br>On a personal note: I'd like to thank the people who add my stories to their favorites/alerts. Although you guys/girls don't review, it still shows that you appreciate them.


	3. Kyle

There's going to be a short epilogue; 1000 words max. As you've probably already noticed, all the chapters, as well as the epilogue, are named after the characters it focuses on (more or less).

* * *

><p>Butters went over everything in his head over and over again, trying to find the right course of action. Kyle just sat there, waiting for the blond to answer his question until, finally, he did. He decided that it would be better to deny any knowledge of this, but still try to help Kyle figure out the truth on his own.<p>

Leopold: ...I don't know, but I could help you find out.

"_Right. That's why we've been sitting here in silence for almost five minutes._"

Kyle: Butters, don't lie to me. Actually, just don't lie to anyone. You sucked at it when we were kids and you suck at it now. If you're not going to tell me, I'll just have to figure it out on my own. Goodbye, Butters.

Kyle left Butters' house and slammed the door behind him, as a clear sign of frustration.

"_...That went well._"

Butters knew that Kyle would probably never speak with him again, but only time would tell if he had made the right choice when answering his question.

* * *

><p>"<em>Now what do I do? I can't just ask Kenny directly; he would never tell me. Butters isn't an option, Cartman is a retard... If only Stan was... Stan would know what to do. Stan always knew what to do.<em>"

Kyle suddenly had an idea, but it was quickly crushed by his moral compass; however, he still wondered in the back of his mind if it was possible. He could simply follow Kenny (without being seen) every time he went to see Stan at the hospital and listen to his "conversations" with him to see if he was consistent. If he was, then the truth would be obvious.

He tried to turn his thoughts in another direction; he didn't want to even consider spying on his best friend, much less actually convince himself to do it.  
>As his mind wandered, his thoughts soon turned into reasons as to why he was so obsessed with Kenny and why he was so angry when he saw Butters and Kenny together. Why did he feel this way? Was it concern for Kenny? Was it disgust for their relationship (or lack thereof)? Or was it something else; something personal?<p>

He wasn't ready to face the truth, so before he realized what it was, his thoughts once again shifted; this time towards the reason as to why Kenny was so obsessed with Stan. They were good friends, but not even Kyle himself, his best friend, was visiting him nearly every single day and talking to him. The most obvious answer was guilt, so Kyle decided to test that theory. He would need to see what happened to Kenny all those years ago and find a correlation between what happened to Kenny and what happened to Stan.

"_Who could tell me?_"

Kyle was getting nowhere. He needed someone who was smart, close to Kenny and who would tell him what happened.

"_I could ask Kevin, but he ran away..._"

* * *

><p>Six years ago, Kenny had convinced his parents to tell the town that Kevin had ran away, to prevent anyone from asking too many questions about a sensitive subject. It worked; the entire town believed it and, due to the police's severe incompetence, no evidence was found (or at least recorded) that proved otherwise.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>When did Kevin run away? And why?<em>"

Kyle finally had something to go on. He didn't know how it was connected to everything else, but he had a feeling that if he followed this lead, it would take him to the truth.

"_I just hope I'm right about this..._"

Kyle went home, as there was nothing else he could do for today. The sun was setting in the horizon, the adults were returning home, and he needed to talk to Kenny's parents, his sister and Kenny himself separately.

* * *

><p>"<em>...I've seen this before...<em>"

Stan: This is all **your** fault! **You** did this to me!  
>Kenny: I'm sorry... I'm sorry...<br>Kevin: You did this to **us**. **You** killed me!

"_I'm sorry..._"

Kyle: You don't deserve to live!

As everyone around him tried to grab him while turning into enormous, deformed monsters, Kenny suddenly woke up in a cold sweat.

"_...Another sleepless night for me... I guess I deserve it._"

Kenny lied on his side and cried all through the night, with the voices from his nightmare still echoing inside his head. He truly believed what he heard in his nightmares, and it was messing him up.  
>He believed that he didn't deserve to live, but he was unable to die. He believed that he was responsible for what happened to Stan, but he was unable to fix it. He believed that he was responsible for what happened to Kevin, but there was no way to fix that. There was simply nothing that he could do but live out the rest of his life thinking that he killed his brother and put one of his best friends in the hospital.<p>

* * *

><p>By the time Kenny's parents and sister woke up, Kenny had already made and eaten some breakfast, showered and was ready for school. However, his mind wasn't all there. Part of him was still thinking about his nightmare and agreeing with what was said, while the other part was trying to forget it and snap him to reality. Unfortunately, the former side won and Kenny spent the rest of the day replaying his nightmare in his head. His distraction was clear to everyone, but only Kyle approached him. Before he said anything, he looked around to see if Butters was nearby. Thankfully, Kenny had stayed behind for a while, even though nearly everyone else had left, so there was nobody who would bother Kyle while he talked to him.<p>

Kyle: Hey, Kenny.

"_What do __**you**__ want?_"

Kenny: ...Hey.  
>Kyle: ...What's wrong?<br>Kenny: It's nothing- I mean, nothing's wrong.

"_...Wow, you're even worse at this than Butters._"

Kyle: Kenny, I'm your friend. You can talk to me about anything.

"_Really? Anything? Do you want me to tell you how I put your best friend in the hospital and got my brother killed, all in the same day? Or how I've had a major crush on you for the past seven years or so?_"

Kyle: ...Is it about the prom? There are still girls who don't have dates, you know. You just have to ask one of them to go with you.

"_For fuck's sake._"

Kenny: No, Kyle, it's not about the fucking prom. Just leave me alone.  
>Kyle: Alright... Sorry.<p>

"_I'd ask you about Kevin, but now I'm afraid you'll hit me._"

* * *

><p>Kyle felt bad that he was unable to help Kenny, but he decided to go talk to his sister and parents anyway, as he had planned. Kenny's sister told him that Kevin had run away and that he left a note behind, whereas his mother denied the existence of such a note and his father disagreed on the contents of said note. It was obvious that someone was lying about something, but they all agreed on the exact date that he ran away. Kyle had heard the date before, but he couldn't quite remember why it was important.<p>

"_Maybe Kenny visits Stan often because his brother is at the same hospital._"

Kyle walked all the way to the hospital and approached the receptionist.

Kyle: Hey, is there a patient here named "Kevin McCormick"?  
>Receptionist: I'm sorry, I can't give you that information unless you're a family member.<p>

"_This is bullshit._"

Kyle: OK. Thanks.

Kyle waited for the receptionist to be called away and checked the computer himself. He searched for "Kevin McCormick", "Kevin" and "McCormick". Every search failed. If Kevin was still in town, he wasn't here.

"_Where are you, Kevin?_"

Receptionist: Young man, what are you doing?

"_Oh shit._"

* * *

><p>The receptionist, thinking that Kyle was trying to steal patient files, called the police, and Kyle was arrested on the spot. However, since officer Barbrady knew Kyle, he believed him when he said he was just looking for someone. Unfortunately, he couldn't just let Kyle walk out of there; he was going to have to spend the night in jail.<p>

"_Well, at least he let me call my mother and tell her I was spending the night at 'a friend's house'... She was pissed that I didn't tell her earlier, but at least she won't kill me when I come home... I hope._"

* * *

><p>The next day Kyle went straight home from jail. He wasn't going to risk making his mother even more upset than she already was. As soon as he got out of the police station, however, he (literally) bumped into Kenny, who seemed as distracted as he did the previous day.<p>

Kenny: Hey, Kyle. What were you doing in there?  
>Kyle: I got arrested.<br>Kenny: ...What?  
>Kyle: It was nothing. Don't worry.<p>

"_You're not even going to tell me why you got arrested?_"

Kenny: ...Alright.

"_I guess I'd better try again..._"

Kyle: So... How are you doing today?  
>Kenny: I'm fine... By the way... Do you have a... date for the prom?<br>Kyle: No, not yet.  
>Kenny: ...I thought you'd be getting a lot of requests from the girls at the school.<p>

"_Why would you think something like that?_"

Kyle: Yeah, I am, but... I just don't... I don't feel like going with them.  
>Kenny: Why not? The prom is tomorrow, I thought you'd have a date by now.<p>

"_...That's a very good question._"

Kyle: ...It's complicated. Look, I gotta go. My mom doesn't know where I spent the night and she'll kill me if I'm not home early today.  
>Kenny: Sorry... Come on, I'll walk you home.<br>Kyle: That's alright. I don't want to bother you.  
>Kenny: It's no problem. I'm going that way anyhow.<br>Kyle: ...Thanks.

* * *

><p>Kenny and Kyle walked in silence, smiling. Their hands touched for a brief moment, almost like they were holding hands and were now letting go, which made both of their hearts flutter and turned their cheeks pink, but they still didn't say anything. They kept on walking, eyes facing down. When they finally arrived at Kyle's, Kyle gave Kenny a big hug and went home, unaware that Kenny was still standing outside, waiting for him to actually close the door. When he noticed this, he smiled, closed the door behind him and, after he actually realized what he felt and did five minutes ago, he panicked.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>...What the fuck just happened?<em>"

Kyle tried to put it out of his mind, but there was no denying it – Something happened between him and Kenny. Something more than just friendship. It was as if his head was completely empty during that short trip and he just acted on instinct... and instinct doesn't lie about what it wants.

He felt like going back outside, putting his arms around Kenny and never letting go, but he wasn't going to. He couldn't. His mind may have been gone for the five minutes it took to get home, but now it was firmly in place, telling him to focus on Kevin and nothing else. He was sure that Kevin was connected to Kenny's obsession with Stan and, if he had feelings for him, he should try to help. Even if he didn't, he still wanted to know the truth.

Sheila: Kyle!

"_Jesus fucking Christ, mom. Ever heard of lowering your voice when people are thinking?_"

Kyle: Sorry, mom.  
>Sheila: Sorry? Why didn't you tell me you were planning on sleeping over at a friend's house?<p>

"_Mom, lower your goddamn voice!_"

Kyle: It wasn't like I planned on it; it just happened.

Kyle's mom raised one of her eyebrows in disbelief and it looked like she was about to yell at him again, but she just shut her eyes, breathed deeply and told him not to do it again. Kyle understood this as "Go up into your fucking room before I tear your head off", so he did just that and focused on how to find Kevin.

"_Alright, let's see now... Kevin's parents and his sister were lying about him running away. I can't talk to Butters because he doesn't know anything and neither does Cartman. I'm guessing that my only option really is to talk to Kenny... But I can't do it today. Mom will kill me._"

Kyle spent the rest of the day in his room, trying not to piss off his mom.

* * *

><p>Kenny woke up in the middle of the night after a particularly weird dream. It was nearly gone just as soon as he woke up, except for a vague notion that Kevin was involved and that they were talking about what had happened six years ago. He assumed it was just another nightmare, and he was glad that he couldn't remember it, but something didn't feel right. He didn't feel like he just had a nightmare. He was sad, but he wasn't scared or self-destructive.<br>Unfortunately, the more he tried to remember, the more it slipped away, until even the notion that Kevin was involved vanished, and all that was left was the hazy memory that he talked about what had happened six years ago. Because of that memory, Kenny started remembering what happened, pressed his face against his pillow and cried.

* * *

><p>However, because of this memory, he decided he wanted to go see Kevin's grave again.<p>

After what happened yesterday, Kyle decided to go talk to Kenny directly, but when he saw Kenny leaving, he followed him, without really thinking of a reason to do so. When they arrived at the cemetery, Kyle didn't even consider the possibility that Kevin could be dead and just figured that Kenny had a part-time job or something like that. However, when Kenny started crying in front of a grave, he realized the truth. He approached Kenny with great caution and put his arms around him. At first, Kenny didn't know who it was and, although he was startled by the sudden gesture, it made him feel better, so he didn't even try to stop it.

Kyle: ...Why didn't you tell me?

"_...God dammit, Kyle..._"

Kenny: ...You weren't supposed to know.  
>Kyle: ...What happened to him?<p>

Kenny couldn't hold it any longer and just told Kyle everything. What happened to Kevin, who did it, why he did it and Kenny's role in all of it. When he finished, he started crying even harder, but Kyle just kept his arms around him the whole time.

?: It's not your fault...  
>Kenny: What?<br>Kyle: I said it's not your fault... You need to start... moving on. You've been stuck with your guilt for six years; you've suffered enough, even though you didn't deserve it.  
>Kenny: How can you say that?<br>Kyle: ...If it was your fault, I'd blame you for what happened. I don't.  
>Kenny: ...You don't?<br>Kyle: I don't. Stan got himself into trouble because of his own choices. You didn't do anything wrong.  
>Kenny: ...Thank you...<br>Kyle: I should be the one to apologize.  
>Kenny: For what?<p>

Kyle finally realized that he had been jealous of Butters this whole time, because of how close he got to Kenny. After explaining it to him, Kyle also started crying and pulled Kenny in closer. The boys hugged each other for what seemed like forever until Kyle decided to do something he thought he shouldn't. Hesitantly, he asked Kenny if he was going to the prom with anyone. Kenny told him the truth, after which Kyle clenched his fists, closed his eyes and just blurted it out.

Kyle: Kenny, will you go to the prom with me?

At first, Kenny didn't know what to say. He wanted to say yes; he wanted to say everything he felt for Kyle, but he was too nervous. Everything was happening too quickly. First they were talking about his brother, then Kyle's jealousy and now this. His heart was pounding against his chest, and there was sweat pouring down his face, some of it mixing with his tears.  
>Kyle's ear was pushed against the taller boy's chest in such a way that he could hear his heart beat. He mistook the pounding in his chest for anger, which frightened him.<p>

"_I shouldn't have done that..._"

Kyle: ...I'm sorry. It's OK. I shouldn't have expected you to say yes.  
>Kenny: ...I didn't say "no". It's just that... this is kind of sudden.<br>Kyle: Um... Well, I'll be waiting for you in front of the school. When you... make up your mind, meet me there, alright?  
>Kenny: ...Sure.<p>

* * *

><p>Kyle had been standing outside for almost an hour now, but Kenny was nowhere to be seen. However, since he had arrived almost half an hour before the prom started, he was going to wait a bit more. Eventually, Kenny arrived, carrying a small box.<p>

Kenny: I'm so sorry, I was... getting this for you... It was custom made, so it took a while... Sorry.

Kenny opened the small box and inside there was a necklace with a small gold colored heart attached.

Kenny: See, you open it like this...

Kenny showed Kyle how to open the small gold heart, which had two spaces for pictures on either side.

Kyle: ...Thanks, Kenny. This almost makes up for you being late.  
>Kenny: Almost? What can I do to make it up to you?<br>Kyle: I dunno, but don't worry. I'll think of something.  
>Kenny: Are you sure you wanna do this? You know that they're going to do something stupid, right?<p>

Kyle grabbed Kenny's hand, interlocking his fingers with Kenny's. Kenny was still a bit nervous from the idea of going to the prom with Kyle, but he also trusted him more than anyone else. He just wanted to make sure Kyle wasn't having second thoughts.

Kyle: I'm sure. I don't care what they say. All that I know is that you need to start moving on and that I like you.

Kenny and Kyle went inside, hands held. They didn't care what anyone else thought of them; they just wanted to be with each other. And they finally had their wish.

* * *

><p>Yeah, kinda lame ending, I know. The epilogue will be uploaded in a few hours.<p> 


	4. Stan

The epilogue has some long dialog scenes. Sorry about that.

* * *

><p>Kyle: Stan? Stan?<br>Stan: Sorry, what?  
>Kyle: Dude, you fell asleep again. You're lucky Mr. Garrison didn't notice.<br>Stan: Yeah... Thanks for waking me up.  
>Herbert: Boys! Pay attention!<p>

Stan and Kyle smiled to each other after apologizing to Mr. Garrison. Cartman muttered "fags" under his breath, but they just ignored him. Ever since they replaced him with Kevin he had been unable to find another group who could stand him enough to hang out with him every day. Even Butters (who was his last resort) had told him to fuck off. Now he just sat in the background and made a few snide remarks every once in a while, which everyone ignored.

Kyle: So, are we still going to the arcade later?  
>Stan: Sure. Are you bringing your boyfriend along?<br>Kyle: Look, that's the sort of thing that made us drop Cartman. I told you not to make that type of comments.  
>Stan: ...Sorry. I didn't mean to insult you. I think it's great that you have someone, regardless of their gender.<br>Kyle: ...Thanks, I guess... Oh, and to answer your question: Yeah, Kenny is coming with us.  
>Herbert: Boys!<p>

* * *

><p>The boys apologized to Mr. Garrison again, and stopped talking for the remainder of the class. After class, they planned a time to go to the arcade and went home to drop off their things. Afterward, Stan hurried to the arcade. He wanted to be the first to get there and wait for his friends. Kevin arrived a few minutes afterward and both boys waited patiently for their other friends to arrive.<p>

Kevin: So...  
>Stan: Yeah?<br>Kevin: What do you think my brother and Kyle are doing right now? You know they went to Kyle's together, right?  
>Stan: ...I'd prefer not to think about it.<br>Kevin: Oh, come on, you're not even a little curious? They've been dating for three years now, right?  
>Stan: That sounds about right... and no, not really. Not curious at all.<p>

Kevin amused himself by annoying Stan for a few minutes until Kyle and Kenny arrived, holding hands, as usual.

Stan: You know, guys, everyone knows you're dating. You don't have to hold hands everywhere you go.  
>Kyle: Hey, we do it because we like it.<p>

"_If you say so..._"

Kenny: Anyway, did you come here to analyze what we do or to play some games?  
>Stan: You've got a point. Let's go inside.<br>Kevin: Finally.

The boys went into the arcade, picked a multiplayer game and played it until they ran out of money. Afterward, they dropped off Stan, who was the one who lived closest to the arcade.

Kyle: We're still going back there tomorrow after school, right?  
>Stan: Of course. Kenny, Kevin, are you guys going too?<br>Kenny: If Kyle's going, I'm going too.  
>Kevin: Sure.<br>Stan: Alright then. Bye, guys.

* * *

><p>The boys waved Stan goodbye, who went up into his room to do his homework. When he got there, however, someone was already waiting for him.<p>

Kevin: Hey, Stan.  
>Stan: ...Weren't you just-<br>Kevin: Outside? No. This entire place is in your mind; you must know this.

* * *

><p>Kevin was right. Six years ago, after Stan locked himself inside his own mind, he created a world where nothing bad ever happened to anyone who didn't deserve it, a world where everyone was happy and, most importantly, a world where he hadn't shot Kevin. Stan knew this world wasn't real, but the guilt he felt was too great for him to deal with. He chose to live in a world of his own making because of it.<br>From the stuff that Kenny told him (that he could understand, anyway), this world changed and mimicked reality as much as possible, whilst assuring that everything was still good for everyone who deserved it.

* * *

><p>Stan: ...How do I know you're not in my mind too?<br>Kevin: I am, technically. But I'm as real as you are. In fact, we're the only two real things in this world... Well, Kenny and Kyle are now dating, but that's not why I'm here.  
>Stan: You haven't answered my question. How do I know you're real?<p>

"_Not this again. I come back from the dead (sort of) and you and Kenny can't even trust that I'm real?_"

Kevin: ...I'm sorry, but I can't prove what I'm saying. You'll just have to trust me here.  
>Stan: ...What do you want, Kevin?<br>Kevin: You've served an important purpose, Stan. You don't even realize it, but thanks to you, Kenny and Kyle are now together, as they should be. Now it's time to make a choice, Stan. You can stay here if you want, but you'll never wake up. You will remain in this world for the rest of your life.  
>Stan: Or...?<br>Kevin: Or you can come with me.  
>Stan: ...Where would you take me?<br>Kevin: I think you know the answer to that.  
>Stan: ...Hell?<br>Kevin: What? Fuck no.  
>Stan: Why not? I shot you. I k... I <strong>killed<strong> you. If I could move, I'd kill myself right now.  
>Kevin: You don't deserve to suffer for what you did. I've forgiven you a long time ago. You should try doing the same.<br>Stan: ...How do I know you're not lying to me? How do I know that this isn't just my mind playing tricks on me?  
>Kevin: You don't. But if I'm real, you know damn well I would never send you to hell to be tortured for all eternity, no matter how many times you killed me. And if I'm not real, you have nothing to lose.<p>

Kevin stretched out his arm in Stan's direction and opened his hand, with his palm facing the ceiling.

Kevin: If you take my hand, I will take you with me to heaven. But you can stay if you want to. I can't do anything to stop you.

Stan wasn't entirely convinced that Kevin was real, but he still considered his proposal as if he was. Kevin looked sincere to him, but he couldn't really consider anything in his own head to be real. After what seemed like an eternity, Stan chose. He took Kevin's hand and held it tight, just like Kenny did to him when he visited him in the hospital.

Stan: ...Let's go.

* * *

><p>Well, that's the end of it. I hope you enjoyed it, despite what happened. To those of you who think the ending is lame: Sorry.<br>I will start rewriting my first four stories in a few minutes, but I have some stuff to do tomorrow and the day after, so it will take a while.


End file.
